A home inspector should examine a home’s major systems, including electrical, heating, plumbing, roofing, foundation, interior and exterior. He or she will report everything found in the inspection – the good and the bad. Keep in mind, though, that a home inspector is only human and can’t guarantee that additional issues might not be found in the future.

It’s a good idea for you to be on site for the inspection so that you can familiarize yourself with the home. A competent inspector will take the time to answer your questions and explain proper maintenance and operating procedures for the different elements of the home.

Of course, a home inspection isn’t free. It can cost a couple hundred dollars to inspect a condo or small house and over $600 to do a thorough inspection on a bigger home. Many inspectors charge more for homes more than 50 years old, as they can take more time to examine. Think of the money you spend on a home inspection – usually less than one per cent of the price of the home – as peace of mind for you and your family. By having it professionally inspected, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting and feel safe and comfortable for years to come.

It’s an especially welcoming town for seniors, whether they’ve lived here all their lives or are making a new start. One hub for active seniors in the area is the Silver Jubilee 55 Plus Club, located right on Main Street. The club has a yearly membership fee of only $5 and is open to area adults over age 55. It hosts activities such as bridge, euchre, line dancing, painting and photography classes, yoga, bus trips and communal lunches and dinners. It’s a great starting place for seniors looking for companionship.

And, just because Stouffville isn’t a big city, that doesn’t mean it’s not near top-tier medical centres, which is important to many seniors. Markham Stouffville Hospital is a multi-site community hospital, with locations in Uxbridge and Markham. More than 275 doctors and 1,700 staff offer cutting-edge diagnostic services, medical and surgical care.

Southlake Regional Health Centre, in Newmarket, has served the community for more than 85 years, with over 500 doctors and 2,800 employees. It has a reputation for excellence in cardiac care, cancer care and eye surgery.

For seniors who want extra support in their day-to-day activities, Whitchurch-Stouffville offers a range of residences, from townhomes in seniors’ communities, to apartments in assisted-living facilities to nursing homes.

If you’re considering a place for you or your family members to live a fulfilling life as a senior, come and see the wonderful options Whitchurch-Stouffville has to offer.

Let’s start by defining broker. A large real estate franchise usually hires a broker of record to run the real estate office. The broker might, in turn, hire managers to support their sales people. Clients, let alone salespeople, seldom see the broker of record. He or she is usually a very busy person, attending professional meetings, real estate board appointments and committees and overseeing the financial aspect of the brokerage.

But at Gallo Real Estate a different standard applies. Our broker of record and owner, Maria Gallo, is the epitome of brokers and, as such, attracts salespeople from far and wide. She’s a tough cookie but has a heart of gold and can explain often-complicated real estate issues in ordinary terms, for everyone to understand.

Broker support is the help that is given by the broker to help salespeople do their jobs. A broker’s role is often entirely behind the scenes, but vitally important. For instance, Maria Gallo asks to see every agreement written by her 20-plus agents before it is signed by the buyers. She has the years of experience to answer many legal questions and the resources to find out answers if she needs to. She can write clauses for unusual situations, will type offers herself, help out with client showings and even answer the phone in order to give her secretaries a break.

Maria Gallo’s broker support includes presiding over office meetings to inform salespeople of new legislation, rules and regulations in the industry and taking any and all general questions they have. She’s also known for offering her advice on recipes, raising kids, relationships and more!

The bottom line is, Maria Gallo’s loyalty, integrity, generosity and availability mean that her broker support is unparalleled in the industry. If you are a client of Gallo Real Estate, your agent is your partner and Maria Gallo is the bottom line.

One of the decisions you’ll have to make when getting a mortgage is whether to have one with a fixed rate or a variable rate. Your friends and relatives, heck, even the guy who bags your groceries, will have an opinion on this topic. If you arm yourself with information, you’ll be able to make the right decision for your situation.

A fixed-rate mortgage is one where the interest rate on the loan stays the same for the term of the mortgage – generally between one and 10 years.

A variable-rate mortgage is one where the interest rate on the loan changes as the lender’s prime lending rate changes. For instance, the interest rate on a variable-rate mortgage could be 3 percent at the start of the term and drop to 2.75 percent if the bank that’s lending the money lowers its prime lending rate. By the same token, the rate could rise if the bank’s prime lending rate goes up.

With a variable-rate mortgage, the interest rate on your mortgage could change several times over the course of a five-year mortgage. However, the amount of your regular mortgage payments doesn’t change – that would be too unpredictable for most people. Instead, if the interest rate goes down over term of your mortgage, more of your payment will go toward paying off your principal. If it goes up, more of your payment will go toward interest costs.

Generally speaking, a variable-rate mortgage has the potential to save you money over the long term, while a fixed-rate mortgage offers peace of mind for those wanting to know exactly how much they’ll pay in principal and interest every time they make a mortgage payment.

Once you assess what type of borrower you are and what brings comfort to your spouse or the other person who might be helping you pay the mortgage, you can decide what kind of mortgage is best for you.

However, what stays and what goes – known as inclusions and exclusions in the real estate world – isn’t always obvious to potential buyers or their agents. Any items that are attached to the house – such as light fixtures and curtain rods – are inclusions. Items that aren’t attached – such as curtains and furniture – are exclusions.

Once you’ve identified your exclusions, it’s best to just remove them. That way they won’t be seen by a potential buyer who might become frustrated and walk away after he or she learns what isn’t included in the sale. For instance, replace the dining room chandelier that you want to keep with a less expensive one that will stay with the house.

If you opt not to remove your exclusions, you must have your agent identify them in your listing agreement, which lists all of the pertinent information about the property that you are selling.

Your property might also include some unattached items – usually exclusions – that you’re leaving in the home because they are great selling features or you don’t need them anymore, like an armoire or a pool table. Those should also be detailed in the listing agreement. Further inclusions and exclusions can also be negotiated in the purchase contract, if needed.

Aside from things that you own, your listing agreement will also need to address things that you lease or are under a long-term contract, such as a water heater or an alarm system.

If you’re uncertain about what stays, what goes and why, ask your agent. They’re there to help!

You might also have a list of “nice to have” features. For most people, this list is shorter and might include some items that are rarer or things that can be added in the future, such as a modern kitchen, a walk-in closet or a basement rec room.

If you’re buying a home with someone else, for instance, your spouse, you should try to co-ordinate your “must haves” before you start your search. That way, your agent will be better able to zero in on properties that suit you. This is where the negotiations start.

Sit down with your spouse and identify the things that you absolutely can’t live without in a new home. Remember, these should probably be things that can’t be changed in the future, like location or lot size. Then identify the things that you would like to have but aren’t absolutely necessary. This is where you can dream big!

Once you have streamlined your list of “must haves,” hand it over to your agent. But be realistic. It’s rare that an agent will find a property with all of your “must haves.” The longer the list, the less likely you are to find a property that meets it entirely. You might find that you’re more flexible than you thought you were. If you find a property that meets all of your needs but has a one-car garage instead of a two-car garage, chances are, you’ll be happy to park your other car in the driveway.

But one of the most important ways to feel at home in a new neighbourhood can be finding a place of worship that suits your needs.

The town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, with its burgeoning population, has something for everyone when it comes to houses of worship.

Main Street is graced by no fewer than five churches: Anglican, Baptist, Coptic Orthodox, Penetcostal, Presbyterian and United, with a Roman Catholic church just another block away.

There’s also the Bloomington Gospel Church and East Ridge Evangelical Missionary Church nearby.

As the community has grown and changed over the years, it has also come to embrace spiritual practices by those communities that are newer to the area. For instance, there are several synagogues in nearby Unionville and Newmarket, the Islamist Society of York in Gormley and the Mehamevnawa Buddhist monastery in Markham.

Most of these communities are open and welcoming to new members, or people who simply want to have a visit and see what they’re all about. They have multiple services a week, so call ahead and find out which one might be best for a newcomer, whether they have childcare or religious education for children.

Another way to find out which community might suit you best is to ask an official at your current place of worship if he or she can recommend a similar place near here. He or she can also write you a letter of introduction – or send an email or make a call – so that you feel right at home when you arrive.

Take your time when looking for a place to worship in Whitchurch-Stouffville: The community has lots to offer. So have a look around, meet some new people, go to a few services and then make up your mind. You’re sure to find just the right thing for you.

Stouffville’s Gallo Real Estate is a family business that’s been growing for almost 40 years. It’s founders, Ross and Maria Gallo, are still integral to everyday operations, interacting with clients and supporting their 20-plus brokers. And their children are deeply involved as well.

Read on to learn the inside scoop from Maria Gallo on the ups and downs of running a successful family business.

Q: To what do you attribute your ability to run a successful family business?

A: We made the wise choice of a superior office location years ago, at the four corners of Highway #48 (Markham Rd.) and Stouffville Sideroad. We also knew when to make a change from the grocery business to real estate. And, because of all the contacts we had previously made, Gallo Real Estate has a built-in client base from the beginning. We also believe in lots of hard work and the determination to be the best that you can be.

Q: What do you find rewarding about running a family business?

A: The sense of accomplishment and pride at putting our family name on our business. Our name is associated with professionalism, service and trust. We’re also proud to see our children in the business: One is a broker and one is a salesperson. The staff and other salespeople have become like family, too! On the purely business side, we enjoy not having the restrictions that a franchise business might impose.

Q: What, if anything, do you find difficult about running a family business?

A: It’s always on your mind: 24/7. Even when you’re on vacation! And, as the owner, you’ve got to cover for the illnesses of the other staff. But it’s all worth it!

In Canada, one of the conditions for getting a conventional mortgage is having a down payment worth at least 20 percent of the home’s price. However, 20 percent can be a big sum in today’s housing market and lots of buyers aren’t able to meet that threshold. That’s where the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation steps in.

The CMHC, Canada’s national housing agency, will provide insurance to a lender if a buyer has a down payment worth less than 20 percent of the purchase price. The mortgage loan insurance helps protect the lender against default, giving the lender the ability to offer the buyer a mortgage with interest rates comparable to those offered to someone with a 20 percent down payment.

However, the mortgage loan insurance costs money. Typically your lender will pass on the cost of the insurance premium to you. It can be added to your mortgage and included in your regular payments or it can be paid as a lump sum. The total is based on the percentage of the home’s purchase price that’s financed by the mortgage.

For instance, if your down payment is between 15 and 19 percent of the purchase price, the standard insurance premium is 1.75 percent of the purchase price. On a $500,000 home, that would be $8,750.

If your down payment is between 10 and 14 percent, the standard insurance premium is 2 percent and if it’s between 5 and 9 percent, it’s 2.75 percent.

There are some lenders who offer mortgages without requiring insurance, but they might charge higher interest rates and additional administrative fees. It’s always smart to shop around to find the best deal for you.

Unlike at a regular showing, when people come to an open house, they aren’t accompanied by an agent and they are encouraged to visit the listed property at their leisure. That means potentially dozens of strangers opening your closet doors, peaking behind your shower curtain and looking in your storage space.

Aside from making your home welcoming and safe for these visitors, you should take steps to secure your property during an open house. Here are some tips to help you prepare for a relaxing and, ultimately, fruitful experience.

1)    Ensure that your real estate agent will be present during the entire length of the open house. In a larger house, ask if it’s possible for him or her to have an assistant on hand to answer questions and guide visitors on the second floor.

2)    Ask that all visitors sign in, with identification, if possible.

3)    Have a sign that instructs visitors to remove their shoes or boots, or provide them with hospital-type foot coverings to protect your floors and carpets.

4)    Remove all valuables from view, especially small items.

5)    Remove delicate items, such as china vases or antique furniture, as guests might be tempted to touch or sit on them.

6)    Remove medications from medicine cabinets or other places where they’re easily accessible.

7)    Ensure that your personal financial documents are out of sight, in a locked cabinet.

8)    Remind your agent to lock all doors and windows when the open house is over, as visitors might have opened them.

Remember, your agent is a consummate professional and has conducted lots of successful open houses in the past. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. He or she will put your mind at ease.